In the steppe, at the foot of the mountains, there lived an old woman and she had one and only son. The guy got into the habit of going hunting, and when he returned on his black horse, his mother greeted him with affection and greetings and led him home.
One day, while walking through the garden, our young man saw a deer with golden antlers!
But it’s strange: the deer doesn’t run away from him, but as if he’s teasing him - he lets him come to him, but doesn’t let himself into his hands. Blagoslav - that was the young man's name - went home, took a bow and arrows, saddled a horse and rushed after the deer, but the deer did not stand still, but went further and further - from the garden into the forest, from the forest - into the mountains.
Blagoslav rode after him so far from home that he doesn’t know how to return. He began to look for the way back, but he couldn’t find it, but he climbed deeper and deeper into the thicket. He had no choice but to gallop after the deer. He had already passed mountains and valleys and suddenly found himself in the courtyard of a large castle. There is a high wall around the castle.
- Well, now you can’t get away from me! – thought Blagoslav and plunged his spurs into the sides of the black horse.
The tired horse rushed forward with all his strength. And what miracles! As soon as Blagoslav released an arrow from his bow, the arrow flew and pierced the deer - and at that same moment the deer disappeared from sight.
Blagoslav ran up to the place where the deer stood, and what happened? An arrow sticks out in the trunk of a tree, and on that tree there is an inscription: “Whoever enters the castle, let him put his horse in the stable, and he himself goes upstairs to the chambers and takes everything he finds there.
- That's good! - Blagoslav says to his raven, and he stands next to him, barely breathing.
He took the black one to the stable, and there was plenty of food there: oats, hay, and clover!
- Eat and drink to your heart's content! - the young man told him, - and he went to his chambers.
And in his chambers a rich table is laid for him. I got drunk and full, and thought: “I’ve been tormented all day! Where should I sleep?
He looked around and saw that the bed had already been prepared. As soon as he got to bed and undressed, he immediately fell asleep. Nobody wished him good night.
He dreams that three maidens came and began to beg him to live in this castle for three days, that they are the king’s daughters and must remain in this castle until a person appears who will free them. But for this he must endure hellish torment. They asked and begged for a long time, and then disappeared.
Then the whole room shook with a terrible roar and Blagoslav woke up. He looks around - no one. He became quiet and began to listen. Suddenly someone pounced on him, choking him, beating him, not allowing him to breathe. But, fortunately, the appointed hour struck, everything disappeared and he, exhausted and beaten, fell into a deep sleep.
In the morning Blagoslav got up, got dressed, and the table was already set. He ate and drank and went to see what his black horse was doing. He stood calmly in the stall, and he had plenty of food and drink.
Blagoslav went further and saw a well with beautiful clean water. He wanted to drink that water, he tried to reach it, but he slipped, soaking his hand and a strand of hair in the water. “You can’t even get enough water here!” he thought. He looked at his hand, and his hand turned silver from the water, and so did his hair.
He went further for a walk in the garden. He walked around and looked at the beautiful flowers and trees and returned back to his chambers.
So he lived in that castle for three days. During the day everything went well, but at night the monsters tormented and tormented him more and more. He, of course, would have run away from the castle, but the maidens each time began to beg and persuade him to hold out for three nights. After all, only then will he be able to free them from the evil spell. On the third night, when the ghosts disappeared at the appointed hour, he, completely exhausted, fell asleep.
He has a dream that three maidens come and thank him for his liberation, and the youngest approaches Blagoslav and writes on his sword that her father lives in such and such a castle, if Blagoslav goes to that castle and wants to take her as his wife, she agrees. I wrote, and all three immediately disappeared.
Waking up in the morning, Blagoslav saddled his faithful horse, tied his hair and hand with scarves and rushed to look for the royal castle.
He rides up to the castle, gets off his horse, wants to check if this is true or if he just dreamed it all. What if they don’t recognize him, what if the younger maiden doesn’t marry him.
Blagoslav got off his horse and let him go in all four directions.
The crow ran to Blagoslav’s mother and neighed cheerfully, saying that your son is alive and well and there is no need to worry about him.
And Blagoslav went to the castle on foot and began to ask for service. They hired him as a cook. They are told to throw wood into the oven and obey the cook in everything.
The cook works eagerly and waits for the moment when he can see the young princess. After all, in that kingdom it was customary for princesses to take turns going to the kitchen and learning to cook.
This week the eldest went to the kitchen. He comes, and everyone looks at Blagoslav, amazed that such a handsome guy suddenly became a cook! He looks and looks, but remains silent and doesn’t say a word to him. And the middle sister too; I marveled, looked - and that’s all. The youngest began to go into the kitchen, then Blagoslav did not hold back and took off the bandage from his silver finger so that the princess could see.
And the next day he released a strand of silver hair from under the cap. The princess sees, but remains silent. And on the third day she tells the cook to send her lunch with a cook.
Blagoslav entered the chambers of the youngest princess, and she was in the same dress that she wore in the enchanted castle, he shows her his silver hair and fingers, the princess recognized him, promises to marry him, only asks:
- Wait until my sisters choose their husbands!
And soon the king-father announced that on such and such a day his daughters would choose husbands for themselves: whoever the princess threw a golden scarf to would become her husband.
Rich gentlemen and princes gathered at the castle. They stood in front of the king. The two older sisters were the first to throw their handkerchiefs. They chose their princes. And the youngest doesn’t give anyone a handkerchief for a long time, she refuses everyone. Suddenly he sees the cook standing in the doorway. The princess hurries to him and hands him her handkerchief.
The king got angry and ordered the cook to be driven out of the yard: why not, so that some cook would become his son-in-law! This will never happen! But the daring cook does not want to leave. The king grabbed him by the collar and wanted to throw him out, and then the cap fell off! Everyone is looking - and the guy has silver hair. The king realized that this was the same fellow who spent three nights in the enchanted castle and freed his daughters.
That was joy!
They sent messengers, brought Mother Blagoslav and played a rich wedding. Everyone was at that wedding, eating and drinking to their heart's content. And Blagoslav and his wife lived in peace and harmony. They're probably still alive, if they haven't already died.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru